U.S. Soccer Foundation Awards Grant to Emerald Youth

In its continued effort to grow the game of soccer and utilize it to improve the well-being of children in under-resourced communities, the U.S. Soccer Foundation awards grants to support soccer programming and field-building initiatives nationwide. Non-profit organizations eligible to receive grant funding include those that provide children with the opportunity to play soccer and provide programming that promotes healthy youth development.

“We’re thrilled to receive this grant,” said Derrick Long, general manager, Emerald Force Soccer Club Academy and Club Leagues. “Soccer continues to grow in popularity with Knoxville’s urban youth, and this generous funding from the U.S. Soccer Foundation will help Emerald serve more than 600 city youth soccer players this year.”

The grant was awarded as part of the U.S. Soccer Foundation’s latest grant cycle which distributed 31 grants totaling nearly $1,300,000. Fourteen awards were distributed as part of the Safe Places to Playprogram. The Safe Places to Play program seeks to build or enhance field spaces in underserved areas in order to provide safe places for children to play. To date, the Foundation has helped to create or improve hundreds of safe places for children nationwide, and has awarded more than $100 million to organizations in all 50 states and in the District of Columbia. The remaining awards were distributed to organizations across the country to support programs aimed at growing the game of soccer in underserved communities.

“Our goal at the U.S. Soccer Foundation is to grow the game of soccer and help create safe places to play in communities nationwide,” said Ed Foster-Simeon, President and CEO of the U.S. Soccer Foundation.